Posted on 03/04/2013 8:57:36 AM PST by Slings and Arrows
There is nothing quite like waking up to the jarring sound of your cat’s steady meows. In the corresponding groggy frustration, it’s important to remember that she’s not purposely torturing you. Cats use vocalized cues, such as hissing, yowling, and growling, to communicate with each other-- meows, on the other hand, are more commonly reserved for communicating with humans. If she has been waking you up in the middle of the night, or earlier than you’d like in the morning, consider what she is trying to communicate to you.
Not enough activity. If your cat isn’t stimulated enough during the day, she may be up all night, attempting to work out her pent-up energy. Remedy this problem by incorporating more enriching activities into your cat’s day, such as food puzzles, climbing frames, non-toxic cat grasses, and toys. You may also try creating several feeding stations around the home so she will have to search for her food. These tactics will keep her awake and stimulated for more of the day and help her sleep better throughout the night.
Early internal hunting alarm clock. A typical hunting time for cats is between 3 and 5am, but you can try to reset your cat’s hunting time clock to a more human-friendly time. Try triggering her prey drive later in the evening by maneuvering a wanded toy for her. Dishing out her last meal of the day after the play time will help her feel like she caught, killed, and ate her prey. You can then groom (brush) your cat, as she would normally do herself after a hunt, to help relax her.
Feeding needs adjusting. If your cat isn’t being fed late enough in the evening, it may be causing her to wake you up early. Try offering several smaller meals throughout the day (which will help keep her awake and stimulated), including a later evening meal. Timed feeders and food puzzles are great options for easily achieving multiple and prolonged meals.
Owner reinforcement is a secondary problem that often develops after the issue initially causes the meowing. Once you have pinpointed the problem and made the necessary changes to your cat’s environment, stop acknowledging her when she wakes you up. The meowing may temporarily worsen once you stop reacting, as she pulls out all the stops to regain your attention (perhaps even resorting to measures like knocking books off your nightstand). Standing your ground will pay off. Addressing the problems listed above, then refusing to reinforce her behavior, will have you on the sweet road to restful sleep (for both you and her) in no time.
BTDT, my FRiend.
Speak of your own catz. One of mine does a fair imitation of a bark. ;)
But when I have dogs, they generally don't bark much, if at all.
/johnny
Besides, none of them are loaded with field loads or #8.
/johnny
Externally administered, I assume, in calibers .17 to .38.
It’s comforting to know people like you will end up in Hell.
Somebody makes a joke and that ends up with you wishing they would end up in hell. That is pitiful. You should be ashamed of youself.
Lighten up Francis. I was kidding!
You know ,my definition of “joke” does involve threats to kill. Of course liberals who threaten conservatives with death always insist “it was just a joke,or blown out of proportion”;BUT should a conservative say a communist should be tried and hanged for destroying freedom the liberals hound him to hell and back.
Some jokes just never are funny.
Shooting cats is not a joke to me. You wrote to the wrong person.
I had a cat who would shove his paw down into a bowl of clear marbles that were supporting stems to silk flowers. He would jiggle the marbles around while watching me in bed, to make sure I reacted in typical ‘get out of that bowl’ command. It was the cat’s way of getting my attention for whatever he wanted me to follow him and do, like feed him, change his litter box, or let him outside. The bowl sat on the bedroom dresser across from the foot of the bed. He knew he was not allowed on the bed, so this was his fall back to get his attendants’ attention.
“A typical hunting time for cats is between 3 and 5am...”
If you have a night vision scope. (looks like I’m going to Hell too)
Not mine. She thinks play is ridiculous. She's the one who's waiting impatiently for me to go to bed. Then it's me having to kick her off the bed in the morning so I can get up.
I get up for work at 4:30am and our orange tabby has decided that is kitty-cuddling time. Even though she sleeps curled up next to me on the bed; I guess it doesn’t count as a cuddle if she’s asleep...
I lmao'd at that one!
Easier said than done, you bet.
Ah last night at 4:30 mine starts meowing like she’s possessed. I have to wake up, find her her pick her up, carry her back to bed and cuddle her til she goes back to sleep,
This is newish behavior with her, I thinks in her case she wakes up from my bed to get a snack or use the kitty box and forgets how to get back to the bedroom in her old age. I have to come and rescue her. I noticed when we were hunkered down for both Sandy and Irene I had her box and kibble in the same room and that behavior didn’t happen that night.
I wonder if cats get forgetful in their dotage like people
It could be loss of sight or other senses rather than senility, but yes.
I have two Siamese. I shudder to think what “excessive” meowing would be in this breed. =)
The thought of someone’s soul going to hell comforts you?
Uh ... nobody wrote you until you wrote them first. The original comment was to Slings & Arrows.
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